Blueprint Partners Progress Newsletter: April 2007

In This Issue

New Health Literacy Resource Available
Older Americans Month Materials are Online
Report on Relationship Between Public Health & Environment
New Whitepaper: Health Benefits of Parks
2006 Report on Obesity Crisis
ASA: Active Older Adults Need Variety in Physical Activity Programs
Free Pedometers from AARP

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New Health Literacy Resource Available
The Administration on Aging and the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion are providing a new resource, Tools for Improving Health Literacy, in online and CD formats. The materials will help agencies and organizations develop a health literacy action plan and take steps to improve health literacy among older adults. Download the tools at:
www.aoa.gov
Or, request a CD at aoainfo@aoa.gov

Older Americans Month Materials are Online
2007 May Older Americans Month materials are now available on the Administration on Aging website at:
www.aoa.gov

Report on Relationship Between Public Health & Environment
The report, Understanding the Relationship Between Public Health and the Built Environment, summarizes the research regarding the links between public health and neighborhood design and explores ways to use this information in community design practices. A chapter on physical fitness begins on page 69. Sponsored by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), the report is available at:
www.activeliving.org/files/LEED_ND_report.pdt

New Whitepaper: Health Benefits of Parks The Trust for Public Land issued a new whitepaper, The Health Benefits of Parks: How Parks Help Keep Americans and Their Communities Fit and Healthy, which outlines the ways that parks promote healthy lifestyles, particularly in cities. One of the topics explores how parks, greenways, and trails enable and encourage people to exercise. A form must be completed in order to download the report.
www.tpl.org

ASA: Active Older Adults Need Variety in Physical Activity Programs
Declines in functional ability and physical fitness do not correspond with age. Therefore, active older adults in their 60s, 70s, and beyond may find that typical exercise programs for older adults are not challenging enough. One solution is to provide a range of activities along the continuum of fitness and functional abilities so participants can choose new challenges, and no one is left out. Active older adults might enjoy the following activities:

• Scheduled bike rides
• Guided hikes and bird watching trips
• Tai chi or yoga
• Water aerobics
• Kayaking and camping
• Flexibility, strength building, balance, and non-impact endurance classes

2006 Report on Obesity Crisis
The Trust for America’s Health report, F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America, 2006, provides a 20-step action plan for stakeholders to address the health burden and financial costs of the obesity epidemic in the U.S. The plan requires the support of families, communities, schools, employers, the food industry, health professionals, and state and federal governments.
healthyamericans.org

Free Pedometers from AARP
Just in time for spring, AARP is giving away free pedometers to help mid-life and older adults jump-start their walking exercise program. Sign up for a pedometer at:
www.aarp.org

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The Blueprint Partners Project is an initiative of the Active Aging Partnership. For more information, contact the Blueprint Partnership Office at the University of Illinois Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, 119 Freer Hall, 906 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL 61801.
E-Mail: blueprint@kines.uiuc.edu
Phone: (217) 244-7122
Website: www.agingblueprint.org